Buddleja plant named ‘Podaras #5’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleja  plant named ‘Podaras #5’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely flowering habit; sterile light violet blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Buddleja weyeriana×Buddleja davidii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PODARAS #5’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buddleja plant, botanically known as Buddleja weyeriana×Buddleja davidii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Podaras #5’.

The new Buddleja plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Ithaca, N.Y. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and sterile Buddleja plants with unique and attractive flower coloration.

The new Buddleja plant originated from a cross-pollination on Mar. 15, 2005 in Ithaca, N.Y., of Buddleja weyeriana ‘Sungold’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Buddleja davidii ‘Pink Delight’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Buddleja plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Ithaca, N.Y. in August, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buddleja plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in West Chicago, Ill. since February, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Buddleja plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buddleja have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Podaras #5’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Podaras #5’ as a new and distinct Buddleja plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Sterile light violet blue-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Buddleja differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Sungold’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleja are denser and more uniform than         plants of ‘Sungold’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Buddleja are denser and         more uniform than inflorescences of plants of ‘Sungold’.     -   3. Plants of the new Buddleja and ‘Sungold’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Sungold’ have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleja differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Pink Delight’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleja are more upright than and not as         rounded as plants of ‘Pink Delight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Buddleja and ‘Pink Delight’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Pink Delight’ have pink-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleja can be compared to plants of Buddleja davidii ‘White Profusion’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Buddleja and ‘White Profusion’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleja and ‘White Profusion’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘White Profusion’ had white-colored         flowers.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Buddleja were sterile whereas         flowers of plants of ‘White Profusion’ were fertile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Buddleja plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Buddleja plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Podaras #5’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Podaras #5’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Arroyo Grande, Calif. under commercial practice during the summer in 12.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging 21° C. and night temperatures averaging 7° C. Plants were pinched two times and were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buddleja weyeriana×Buddleja davidii     ‘Podaras #5’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Buddleja weyeriana ‘Sungold’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Buddleja davidii ‘Pink Delight’,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots plant, winter.—About two to three             weeks at temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About three to four             weeks at temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub; upright plant             habit; narrow inverted triangle; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 98 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 68 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: About seven main branches per             plant. Length: About 95 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode             length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture, developing             stems: Lanulose. Texture, mature stems: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, developing: Close to 194B. Color, mature: Close to             199C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 14 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical to somewhat lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly crenulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 195A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 195B; venation, close to 195B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 192C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers             arranged in compound terminal and axillary panicles; flowers             face upright and outward; panicles roughly conical in shape;             freely flowering habit with about 606 flower buds and             flowers developing per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three             months after planting; flowering continuous from spring             until frost in California.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about three to four             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 90D.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm to 1.2 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower throat, diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower tube, length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Flower tube, diameter at base.—About 2 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single             whorl; petals fused into a narrow tube. Lobe length: About             5 mm. Lobe width: About 5 mm. Lobe shape: Roughly spatulate.             Lobe apex: Rounded. Lobe margin: Erosulate, crinkled.             Texture, upper and lower lobe surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, throat: Slightly pubescent. Texture, tube: Sparsely             pubescent. Color: Developing petals, upper surface: Close to             N87D. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to N88D. Fully             expanded petals, upper surface: Close to 91C; towards the             margins, close to 91B; at the base, close to 7B; venation,             close to 91C; color becoming closer to 18C with development.             Fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close to 91C to 91D;             venation, close to 91D. Throat: Close to 33B; venation,             close to 33B. Tube: Close to 34D; towards the base, close to             18C; venation, close to 34D and 18C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate calyx. Length:             About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 147D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Tomentose. Color: Close to 195A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Lanulose. Color: Close to 194C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four; filaments adnate to the corolla tube. Filament length:             About 4.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 7B. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close             to 199A. Pollen amount: None. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma             color: Close to 144B. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color:             Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Flowers of plants of the new Buddleja are             sterile and seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Buddleja have been not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Buddleja. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Buddleja have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Buddleja plant named ‘Podaras #5’ as illustrated and described. 